Tag: nu-disco

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Music Remixes

Charli XCX – You (Ha Ha Ha) (Goldroom Remix)

CHARLI-XCX1

When things are falling apart there’s nothing better than to find yourself with a catchy hook. And if you listen to the original, Charli XCX samples Gold Panda’s You — and that my friends, is as catchy as it gets.

Josh has done it again, a nu disco remix that stays true to the meaning behind the lyrics yet injects the original with a bassline with its own personality and the usual Goldroom tune flavour. The bridge and its synth chord progression with the kicks and snares is something that gives the remix some breath of fresh air, a balearic air of sorts — for moments at least. We await the official release of this remix that’s forthcoming on Asylum Records on February 10, until then find a promo copy after the jump. Enjoy your afternoon with this one.

Charli XCX – You (Ha Ha Ha) (Goldroom Remix)

Categories
Music Remixes

Saint Michel – Katherine (Lifelike Remix)

Today I’m packing Part I of my stuff as I prepare to move back from Bogotá to Santo Domingo in January. As I do this, it is my will to turn back time a bit so my 9 months here last a little longer. That’s why I dug three months back into my music archive for a song that brought some of the best memories of my time living in this amazing city. That’s what brings us to this joint, which was the most abused track on my iTunes three months ago. I hit it the same way it hits me – In the heart and the feet.

Meet Katherine, remixed in a way that couldn’t get any more french. Both the dynamic duo Saint Michel and Lifelike are all french and the disco housed funk in this track is all that is good with french electronic music. It’s a friday tune, so it has a kick, and oh is it a serious one. Right from the get-go you can feel the song’s mean energy, and the good thing is it doesn’t let go of you until the end. There’s a really big chance that if you hit play before reading this post, by now, you are at least tapping your feet to the rhythm.

The song was released last september and it is one of the most sought after french nu disco releases of this year’s last quarter.

“Katherine, the princess all die
Only fairy tales we’ve tried,
Don’t know who I am
Katherine, I wish you to be mine.”

Saint Michel – Katherine (Lifelike Remix)

 

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Music

Miss Bee – Weak Knees (Bronx Remix)

miss bee weak knees

I’ve decided something: Commercial things really do stink. As soon as it becomes commercial for a mass market it really stinks. –Andy Warhol

If you frequent EMPT on the reg, you’ve probably seen that quote before. It’s one that’s caught my eye in the past, and one that really made me stop and think yesterday. I pride myself on being someone ahead of the curve, especially when it comes to music. When I first heard Skrillex, for instance, my mind was totally blown because I’d simply never heard anything like that before. Then, a few months later, when I started seeing his name and face everywhere, I soured on the guy. It’s no knock on Sonny or any of the other artists that become successful. But once everyone jumps on a bandwagon, it suddenly feels a lot less cool and distinct to be a part of an artist’s fan base or that movement. I don’t know if it’s right or wrong to be turned off by popular things, but it’s something that just inherently happens to me (although I do still love some very trendy things, like Jennifer Lawrence‘s body). I don’t think something totally “stinks” when it becomes popular–you just lose the feeling that you’re sitting on a treasure you dug up from the ocean of the internet.

Lately, this has been happening to me with”Nu Disco.” It’s something I’ve been apart of, both peripherally and in the “scene,” for the past 5ish years. And in the past year, it’s started to blow up (granted, many people have never heard of it), reaching Pitchfork, MTV, and Rolling Stone. It’s awesome to see some great artists get the respect they deserve, but at the same time, it sucks to see the trendsetters who turned me on to this sound get left behind in the dust, because they lack the social media presence or image to make it big. And since the movement has become saturated and filled with new producers, it’s become harder to distinguish between the generic and the special.

Which brings me to Tigers on a Leash, Bronx, and Lou Teti. The former is Teti’s label (I believe Brooklyn based), and Bronx and Teti are two outstanding–and very Disco–producers. They’ve gotten some blog buzz, but not nearly enough. Their latest release, “Weak Knees,” has a quality that pretty much mirrors the title, as it will cause some serious creases in your lower half. This song gives me some hope and should cause people to start taking some notice of what’s going on here–but hopefully not too much.

Miss Bee – Weak Knees (Bronx Remix)

Bonus:

Bronx – I’ll Be Loving You

 

Categories
Music

Vibes – New Light

They say wanting something bad enough is all you need to make it happen. That that hunger is more important than anything else, even love, preparation or academics. Yearning for that new light and always being one step away from it. Almost, but not exactly there. We’ve all been there, or at least know someone that has.

But let’s not get too deep, because the Vibes collective’s debut single is nothing but good vibes and a helluva catchy tune. I discovered Vibes after looking into G Templeton & Alex Slavin‘s One Look.

They say that this is pool party disco but I can’t seem to not feel the heavy 80’s influence from the synth work to the vocal nuances of a time where singing was more than enunciating words but actually feeling them. The song’s hook and chorus are so catchy that I dare you not to find yourself singing them in your head after the first play.

“Then I stepped to left,
you stepped to the right
You shook your hips a little,
Puckered you lips a little.
Then I stepped to the right,
You stepped to the left.
You looked into my eyes,
Said you look different.
 And sometimes when you arrive, you disappear.
Sometimes no said answers ring in through your ears.

I said, oh, baby.
I’ve been waiting
For a new light
To shine down on me.”

If their debut single is this fun, I cannot wait to see what they have in store next. It makes me look forward to their forthcomeing EP Animal Spirits.
I am officially dubbing them: the next nudisco-eternal-summer-vibe band.
Vibes – New Light

Categories
Remixes

Atlas Genius – Trojans (Fred Falke Radio Edit)

One of the most uncomfortable things about a breakup is the lingering thought. Like a splinter in the back of your head deep-rooted in your conscious –wishing it’d be in the subconscious– it’s a constant reminder of what happened. That said, one of the most gratifying things about a breakup is being able to say with certainty that that which you had, the other person will never emulate or find the same with someone else; like a picture no one can ever recreate. And it is the story of that Trojan stuck in our heads that Atlas Genius uses as it’s catchy tool to leave us humming the chorus over and over after the first listen.

 

“It’s ok if it’s gone
The thoughts that you had that it was the one
And oh what is left?
For all those times is that what you get?
Oh regardless
The walls get painted anyway
Oh you’re guarding
The gates, but it all got away

Your trojan’s in my head”

 

Atlas Genius struck gold with this debut single. The South Australian indie rock outfit released this one in May 2011 but it wasn’t until the group signed with Warner Bros. and released as a debut EP  Through The Glass a year later that the song really became a hit. And with remixes by Lenno (not typical Lenno remix but still dance-y), Xaphoon Jones (the most unique of the remix package and very rich musically) and this one by Monsieur Fred Falke is that Atlas Genius puts a bit in that EP for just about every taste. Make no mistake, this is a bonafide pop song infused with indie rock elements and remixed masterfully by very talented individuals.

Of course, in true Fred Falke signature it is the bassline that paired with the rock drums and all that sets this remix apart from the rest — and in my humble opinion the best of the pack. I know that once you listen to the bonus track I’ve included you’ll think it deserves its own writeup –and you’re right on this one– but I don’t want to miss this opportunity of sharing with you the unique and wonderful remix by one-half of Chiddie Bang Mr. Xaphoon Jones.

Atlas Genius – Trojans (Fred Falke Remix)

Atlas Genius – Trojans (Xaphoon Jones Remix)

Categories
Music Remixes

Picture Book – Sunshine (Justin Faust Remix)

From the first listen I fell in love with this one. I know it sounds like a friday tune, but when music is this good, it works any good day. Justin injects a powerful 80’s influence to the happy-go-dancing original version – which I found out that the original version has additional production and mixing by Hugo Leclercq, a.k.a. french boy wonder Madeon– from there the heritage of that signature synth work on the song’s bridge. It’s as if -through it- Hugo’s letting everyone know who’s partly responsible for your frantic dancing while enjoying this one. It’s very coherent to hear the work of the little electro-pop prince on the original when nowadays no one’s doing it like he is.

If you’re wondering why the vocals on this one sound so familiar it’s because the Liverpool-based brother duo of Picture Book teamed with Deadmau5-fame Greta Svabo Bech for the composition and recording.

“You are like the sunshine

You sleep like the moonlight

I feel like the summer, inside

Making towers in my hay
All the games we used to play
Painting clouds with our hands, in the sky
See the rainbow every day just keeps on getting better

You are the mountains, I am the ocean
You are the sunlight when I am frozen
You are the reason I’m getting closer
To where we used to be

I know that we will change
Every thing will stay the same
But these days are here now, remember
See the rainbow every day just keeps on getting better

You are the mountains, I am the ocean
You are the sunlight when I am frozen
You are the reason I’m getting closer
To where we used to be.”

Bogotá, Colombia is the latin version of London, hence why I’ve only seen 5 days of sun in 5 months. Today is one of them, so all hail the sunshine.

Picture Book – Sunshine (Justin Faust)

Categories
Music Remixes Video

Anna Lunoe & Flume – I Met You

Although life is very complex and the decisions we make can find a plethora of categories to put them in, life can -in general terms and in my humble opinion- be classified into two categories: the things we can control in life and the ones we can’t. If you most often than not get overwhelmed with things, you could find this approach really practical.

One of those things you can’t control -sometimes- is feelings. Especially the ones you feel with one of those people that only come once in a lifetime and the experience it’s bundled with. The story goes something like this: you meet, the first impression is you can’t believe it, of course it’s unforgettable, you slip, slide, drift, drown on the way and suddenly a sense of self-assurance-for-two invades you. And you’re confident -even if you shouldn’t- that even if one of you tried, you couldn’t let go. Well, that’s the story that almost literally Anna Lunoe tells in this beautiful song.

“Back when I met you, I could not forget you
Try to leave me, I won’t let you
You know I bet you’ll never go
Because you  know the way our story goes
We can take it slow.”

Quality music always rises above. And this song is a testament to that. It doesn’t need PR campaigns, mainstream endorsements and whatnot; from the first few seconds you can sense it. The song starts with a lo-fi vynil-playing noise and Anna’s beautiful vocal’s chopped a bit towards the end of the chorus. A funky vibe, and a serene flanger spiced with a bit of wah-wah effect pave the road to this journey that is best told with the video.

Well it so happens that the official video for this song is a kaleidoscope-centric visual concoction of beautiful horses galloping in slow-mo, the easy-on-the eyes -to say the least- Anna Lunoe and -who I believe is- Harley Streten a.k.a. Flume playing his naturally-morphed midi keyboard on the water.

If we were to speak about the hype this song has gotten everywhere this paragraph wouldn’t suffice. From The Magician featuring it on his latest mixtape and naming it one of his top 5 songs for 2012 to topping Beatport’s Nu-Disco Chart (still #1 as of the time of writing) it has gotten all the praise; and very well deserved.

I’m so excited about this song I’ve included a bonus dub for your pleasure.

Anna Lunoe & Flume – I Met You

BONUS:

Anna Lunoe & Flume – I Met You (Late Nite Tuff Guy Disco Dub)